SANFORD — In some parts of the city of Sanford, police officers speaking into their radios cannot be heard.

It is not a good situation, and in order to fix it, the city will invest in equipment that uses different radio frequency bands than currently used.

The cost of the 45 radios and associated equipment would be about $42,000. Police Chief Thomas Connolly said that the money to pay for them would come from funds the department periodically receives when assets considered proceeds from criminal activity are forfeited through the courts.

“It really is a necessary thing,” said Connolly. “It could be a life or death situation.”

The department did a test of the very high frequency, known as VHF, radios they have used for several years and the ultra high frequency, or UHF, radios they plan to buy, he said. The city’s regional communications center dispatchers couldn’t hear a broadcast from the VHF radio, and although the reception was scratchy, dispatchers could hear the UHF transmission, he said.

The UHF radios hold another advantage for the city.

Right now, pointed out Deputy Mayor Luke Lanigan, police and fire officials cannot talk to each other directly by radio and must relay information through the dispatch center. With the UHF radios, they will be able to communicate directly.

“It is money well spent,” said Lanigan.

City councilors approved the purchase.

One of the locations where VHF radio reception is currently poor is at the new high school. Mayor Tom Cote said cell phone service at the school is poor as well.

Councilor Maura Herlihy said that should be remedied but cautioned that any fix for cell phone reception should not impede public safety communications.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.